Wellington College of Education

Wellington College of Education (formerly Wellington Teachers’ Training College) was established in 1888 with the purpose of educating teachers in New Zealand. It became the Faculty of Education of Victoria University of Wellington, formed from the School of Education (of the Faculty of Humanities of Social Sciences) of the University, and the Wellington College of Education on 1 January 2005.[1][2][3]

From 1968 to 2016, it occupied an architecturally award winning campus in the Wellington suburb of Karori, designed by local architect William Toomath. The campus was awarded an NZIA Silver Medal (1972), and an NZIA Local Award (Enduring Architecture) (2005).[4]

About

Wellington Teachers’ Training College was established in 1888.

A decision to expand the teacher training facilities in Wellington was made in the 1930s, however it was not until 1966 that the building of the Karori campus began. There were teacher training reforms in the mid-twentieth centenary that were triggered by increased populations after World War Two. [4] As well as being architecturally significant, the Wellington College of Education also has had many notable teachers and students over its long history, significantly in New Zealand’s education system, arts sector and Māori rights movement.[4]

Author David McGill, who attended in the early 1960s, says of his experience: "At teachers' college there were five girls for every boy. A whole world opened up. There were all these women, and it was so exciting. As students, we all wore desert boots, fishermen's knit jerseys. We'd go to cafes and pubs. Barrett's was the nearest pub, or the George. Girls weren't allowed into pubs, so we'd go into coffee bars with them.[5] Those were the days, at that wonderful teachers' college in Karori, with liberal teachers like Jack Shallcrass."[6]

Wellington Teachers Training College was renamed the Wellington College of Education in 1988 in line with government policy.[7][8][9]

2005 was the Faculty's 125th anniversary, the College having been originally established in 1880.[10]

Victoria University for marketing purposes often referred to the faculty as the University's College of Education, rather than as a faculty of the university. The University, in internal bulletins, refers to both a faculty and college fluidly: VicNews of 13 January 2005 apparently describes a "new Faculty of Education to oversee the degrees and diplomas awarded by it, and a new College of Education, consisting of four Schools," and later in that issue refers to a Victoria University College of Education.

Notable staff

• Fanny Irvine-Smith (1878–1948) Teacher, writer. Lectured in New Zealand history and Māori culture until 1932. These subjects were not taught much at this time and so this was quite unique. Irvine-Smith was also the president of the Wellington Teachers College dramatic society.[11][12]
• Doreen Blumhardt (1914–2009) Potter, ceramicist and arts educator (Head of the Art Department in the early years)[4]
• Apirana Mahuika (1934–2015) Māori leader and chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou.[13]
• Olive Smithells (1920–2007) Dancer and health instructor. Lecturer in health and physical education.[14]
• Jack Shallcrass (1922–2014) Writer and educationalist.[6]

Notable alumni

• Marie Bell (1922–2012) New Zealand educationalist. Attended in 1939
• Iritana Te Rangi Tāwhiwhirangi (born 1929), advocate of Māori language education and the Kohanga Reo movement (1947–1948)[15]
• Sydney Jones (1894–1982), National MP for Hastings (1949–1954)[16]
• Cliff Whiting (1936–2017) Māori artist and teacher. Attended in 1955.
• Noel Hilliard (1929–1996) Journalist and novelist. Graduated in 1955.
• Sam Hunt (born 1946) Poet (1968)[17][18]
• Margie Abbott (born 1958) businessperson and the wife of Tony Abbott, the 28th Prime Minister of Australia (attended in 1974)
• Helen Kelly (1964–2016) Trade unionist. Enrolled in 1983, she also became the president of the student association.[19]
• George Lowe (1924–2013) Mountaineer.[20] Dates of attendance unknown.
• Roy Cowan (1918–2006). Potter, illustrator, and printmaker.[21] Dates of attendance unknown.
• David McGill (born 1942). Writer. Attended early 1960s.

References

1. Ness, Daniel; Lin, Chia-Ling (17 March 2015). International Education: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Issues and Systems. Routledge. ISBN 9781317467519.
2. Richard, Hartshorne (31 July 2012). Teacher Education Programs and Online Learning Tools: Innovations in Teacher Preparation: Innovations in Teacher Preparation. IGI Global. ISBN 9781466619074.
3. Barrowman, Rachel (1999). Victoria University of Wellington, 1899-1999: A History. Victoria University Press. ISBN 9780864733696.
4. "Wellington Teachers' Training College (Former)". Heritage New Zealand. 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
5. Romanos, Joseph (11 November 2010). "The Wellingtonian Interview: David McGill". Stuff. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
6. Burnell, Cameron (13 April 2014). "Writer closes chapter on life". Stuff. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
7. "Colleges of Education: Wellington -Te Whanau o Ako Pai ki te Upoko o te Ika". Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
8. Tina, Du, Jia (28 February 2014). Library and Information Science Research in Asia-Oceania: Theory and Practice: Theory and Practice. IGI Global. ISBN 9781466651593.
9. Britton, E. D.; Paine, L.; Raizen, S. (30 June 2003). Comprehensive Teacher Induction: Systems for Early Career Learning. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781402011481.
10. Creese, Mary R. S.; Creese, Thomas M. (8 February 2010). Ladies in the Laboratory III: South African, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian Women in Science: Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810872899.
11. Bremner, Julie (1998). "Irvine-Smith, Fanny Louise". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
12. The Book of New Zealand women = Ko kui ma te kaupapa. Macdonald, Charlotte., Penfold, Merimeri., Williams, B. R. (Bridget R.). Wellington, N.Z.: Bridget Williams Books. 1991. ISBN 0-908912-04-8. OCLC 28180678.CS1 maint: others (link)
13. Taumaunu, Korōria (9 February 2015). "The life of Dr Apirana Mahuika". Māori Television. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
14. "Obituary: Olive Smithells 1920–2007 – ProQuest". search.proquest.com. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
15. Thomson, Margie; Young, Simon (2019). Womankind : New Zealand women making a difference. [Auckland]. ISBN 978-0-14-377272-9. OCLC 1088421180.
16. Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 324. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
17. "Wellington Teacher's College students celebrate 50 years on | Wellington Faculty of Education | Victoria University of Wellington". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
18. "Hunt, Sam". Read NZ. 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
19. Macdonald, Nikki (14 October 2016). "From the archives: The making of unionist Helen Kelly". Stuff. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
20. Laing, Doug (22 March 2013). "Farewell to Everest conquering climber George Lowe". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
21. "Roy Cowan Tribute". The Dowse Art Museum. Retrieved 22 June 2020.

External links

• The Faculty's site
• Press releases/VicNews bulletins on the merger:
  • Merger finalised announcement
  • First press release by the University after the merger on the new Faculty
  • VicNews: Order-in-Council signed (PDF)
  • VicNews: Merger finalised (PDF)
  • First post-merger VicNews issue (PDF)